Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Trans-Friendly Police Woman of Memphis

This may be old news to some, but I caught last week's episode of TLC's Police Women of Memphis in the encore showing last night. In one scene, Officer Joy Jefferson schools a couple of teens who had been harassing a couple of transgender ladies in a neighborhood near Latham and East Trigg.

Officer Joy Jefferson

"You deserve to be comfortable and happy and on sit on your porch and rock your fuschia hair," Jefferson tells the transgender women after warning their harassers to stay away.

Jefferson calms transgender harassment victims

Earlier in the scene, she tells the camera person riding along in her squad car, "If you are a good person, you should always be treated with respect."

After the way former Memphis Police officer Bridges McRae handled relations with transgender police brutality victim Duanna Johnson in 2008, I guess I'd formed a negative opinion of the department's ability to deal with diversity. But Jefferson proved that some MPD officers are respectful to transgender people. Way to go, Jefferson!

Watch the scene for yourself on TLC by clicking here. The police call in question is about seven minutes into the video, but you can fast forward if you're in a hurry.